Audrey’s et al

Audrey’s epitomises refined dining. The smooth lines of an Art Deco interior are matched by the round forms of the plush banquettes that reflect the marine colours of Port Phillip on the other side of the windows. Elevated in the mansion-like limestone edifice that is the historic The Continental Hotel in Sorrento, Audrey’s is the pinnacle of the multivenue 1875 pleasure palace. Every detail in the light-filled dining room tells a story. A massive Pacific clam shell filled with bottles of champagne is sitting on the bar. In one simple gesture, it says: “This is a space dedicated to the enjoyment of the good things in life – like champagne and seafood.”

Chef Scott Pickett named the dining room after his maternal grandmother, Audrey Masterson. A full-length, life-size painted portrait of a young woman stands in one corner of the room. “This depicts my grandmother,” says Scott. The normally gritty chef shows his soft side when he talks fondly about his grandmother. “She helped bring my brother and me up when we were small,” he continues. “On her birthday, she would order half a crayfish, a small luxury in her frugal life.”

The frugality of Audrey Masterson’s life is contrasted by the pure luxury of the restaurant named in her honour. Dining here starts with the set menu. A seven-course menu might be composed of 14 different dishes, starting with freshly baked sourdough and incredibly moreish and deeply flavoured butter. This could be followed with finely sliced morsels of Shark Bay scallops prepared in a fresh citrus ceviche piqued by the fine high note of Kampot pepper. There could be a mouthful-size tartlet filled with rich Port Lincoln sardines and a delightfully sized crumpet topped with a rich, thick dollop of whipped cod roe. Then there is the umami bomb and textural delight, a dish of pieces of pearl meat, fennel, sea urchin, and an old-school French sauce soubise made with cream and onions. The focus on seafood continues with local squid and broadbill with spring vegetables of early zucchini and sugar peas. The savoury courses climax with a supplementary course of Great Ocean Duck with celeriac, a great excuse to move across to Mornington Peninsula pinot noir. Three desserts follow, including a rich dish of meringue and dairy with flavours of mandarin, fennel and white chocolate. The meal could conclude with intense cherry and smoked chocolate truffle.

If elevated dining is not in your remit but you still want to check out the multi-million-dollar refit and refurb of this almost 150-year-old institution, Scott Pickett is also looking after the other 12 food and beverage operations at The Continental. The bar and beer garden are at street level, perfect for an aprèsfishing pint and a parma. “I wanted a place I could enjoy with my mates after a day on the boat,” says Scott with a laugh. Then there is The Atrium, a swish indoor-outdoor eatery with cane chairs on Italian marble flooring, a place that has proved popular with multi-generational families for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then there is the poolside deck, which has full service, and the rooftop offers sit-down breakfast. Night owls will love The Barlow, which is a drinking den of green and red velvet, music purring through the sound system or from a live act on stage, with a large selection of cocktails and drinks developed by the wunderkind of the Speakeasy Group, owners of Eau de Vie and Nick and Nora’s in the city. With the Intercontinental Hotel next door, The Continental Sorrento has become a destination in itself.

RICHARD CORNISH

The Continental Sorrento 1 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento www.thecontinentalsorrento.com.au